Meng Da
Meng Da (died 228) was a military general who served under Liu Zhang, Liu Bei, Cao Pi, and Cao Rui during the late Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. ﻿﻿ Biography Takeover of Yi Province Like fellow conspirators Zhang Song and Fa Zheng, who also sought to hand Yi Province to a more capable ruler, Meng Da pledged his allegiance to Liu Bei when the latter invaded the province. When Liu was invited to Shu by Liu Zhang, who was the Governor of Yi Province at the time, Meng Da and Fa Zheng were dispatched with 2,000 soldiers each to act as an escort. Liu Bei ordered Meng Da to lead these troops back to Jiangling. Upon the pacification of Shu, he was given a post as Governor of a capital city. edit] Takeover of Hanzhong In 219, Meng was sent north to capture the city of Fangling. Kuai Qi, Governor of Fangling, was defeated and killed. He then advanced to take the city of Shangyong, with Liu Feng leading reinforcements from Mianshui to join him. Shen Dan, governor of Shangyong, surrendered. Later in the same year, Guan Yu besieged the cities of Fan and Xiangyang of Cao Wei. A request for additional military aid was sent to Liu Feng and Meng Da in Yishan county for the aggression. They refused the request on the basis their jurisdiction was newly acquired and unstable, hence they lacked the troops to be sent. edit] Service under Cao Pi When Guan Yu was ultimately defeated and Liu Bei heard of his death, he began to hate Liu Feng and Meng. At this point in time, the two men had also had a dispute. Meng, fearing punishment and bearing hatred against Liu Feng, defected to the Kingdom of Wei along with his subordinates (amongst them the former Wei officer, Shen Dan). Afterwards, he wrote a letter to Liu Feng, informing the latter that he was in grave danger, because someone close to Liu Bei had spoken evil of him,[[|2]] and urged Liu Feng to surrender to Wei. However, his advise was not heeded, and Liu returned to Chengdu, where Liu Bei's trusted aide, Zhuge Liang, suggested his master to get rid of Liu Feng. Hence, Liu Feng was executed on charges of failing to assist Guan Yu and stop Meng from defecting. When a southerner from Shu Han traveled north and met Meng, the later asked the former what happened to his family back in Shu, and the former told Meng that Zhuge Liang persuaded Liu Bei to execute them, but Liu refused and Meng's family was safe.[[|3]] Meng replied that Zhuge had priority on what came first and later, so he should not hurry on getting rid of his clan. When Zhuge knew about Meng's saying, he started to contact the latter, despite objection from Fei Shi. Meng Da is a general who serves under Liu Zhang, Liu Bei, Cao Pi, and Cao Rui. Like fellow conspirators Zhang Song and Fa Zheng, who also sought to hand the land of Shu to a more capable ruler instead of Liu Zhang, Meng Da pledges his allegiance to Liu Bei upon his entry into Shu. Role in GamesEdit :"So, Meng Da. You could not be content with just betraying Shu. You had to betray Wei, as well. And back to Shu, no less. If you rebel against me, you rebel against the heavens. You shall pay the price for your wavering loyalty." ::―Cao Pi In Dynasty Warriors 5: Xtreme Legends, Meng Da is the enemy commander for the Shu forces at the Battle of Xin Castle. In Dynasty Warriors: Strikeforce his officer card can be unlocked after the first battle during the Yellow Turban Rebellion in the Shu story. QuotesEdit *"Damn! I had no idea their army was so fast..." :"You fool! You are nothing but a miserable traitor at heart! Anticipating your actions was child's play." ::~~Meng Da and Sima Yi; Dynasty Warriors 5: Xtreme Legends *"I've come to make you pay for your crime! Prepare yourself, Meng Da!" :"I've been ready for a long time! Come and get me!" ::~~Xu Huang and Meng Da at Xin Castle; Dynasty Warriors 5: Xtreme Legends Historical InformationEdit When Liu Bei was invited to Shu by Liu Zhang, Meng Da and Fa Zheng were dispatched with 2000 soldiers each to act as an escort. Liu Bei ordered Meng Da to lead these troops to Jiangling. Upon the pacification of Shu, he was given a post as governor of a capital city. In 219 AD, Meng Da was sent north to capture the city of Fangling. Kuai Qi, Governor of Fangling, was defeated and killed. Meng Da advanced to take the city of Shangyong, with Liu Feng leading reinforcements from Mianshui to join him. Shen Dan, governor of Shangyong, surrendered. Later in the same year, Guan Yu was engaged in battle against forces from both Wu and Cao Cao. A request for military aid was sent to Liu Feng and Meng Da in Yishan county. They refused the request on the basis that Yishan was beginning to be surrounded, and hence troops could not be sent. When Guan Yu was ultimately defeated and Liu Bei heard of his death, he began to hate Liu Feng and Meng Da. At this point in time, the two men had also had a dispute of whether to defect to Cao Pi. Meng Da, fearing punishment and bearing hatred for Liu Feng, surrendered to Wei along with his subordinates Shen Dan and Shen Yi. Afterwards, he wrote a letter to Liu Feng rebuking him and urging him to also surrender to Wei. This was not heeded, and Liu Feng was subsequently executed for failing to assist Guan Yu and stop Meng Da from defecting. In 227, Zhuge Liang launched a campaign into Wei. Meng Da, who had been treated kindly by the late emperor Cao Pi but was less favorably received by Cao Rui, was persuaded to return to the service of Shu, and moreover assist in the campaign by striking at Luoyang. However, Meng Da's failure to take necessary precautions and the betrayal of Shen Dan, Shen Yi and others led to his eventual defeat and death at the hands of Sima Yi. edit] Appointments and titles held *Administrator of Yidu (宜都太守) :Appointments and titles held by Meng Da after he defected to Wei *Attendant of Scattered Cavalry (散騎常侍) *General Who Builds Martial Might (建武將軍) *Marquis of Pingyang (平陽亭侯) *Administrator of Xincheng (新城太守) Category:Characters Category:Local Thugs